Reflections on 30

Earlier this month I celebrated my birthday. It was the end of 30 and the beginning of 31 for me.

To be honest, until a few days before, I wasn’t very excited about it. In fact, I was actually dreading it a bit. That’s because my mind was focused on all the goals I haven’t yet reached, all the dreams I haven’t yet accomplished, and all the projects I haven’t even started.

A few days before my birthday, I took some time to look back on my 30th year of life and take stock of not only everything I did accomplish, but also everything I’ve been through in the past year and that I’ve come through on the other side.

So many highlights have to do with the project that occupied most of my time this year - Toby & Mikka’s, the healthy treats (for dogs and cats) brand I’ve been building alongside my brother: from launching new products like our Sample Packs and our line of Barks with Turkey, to doing several collaborations with other, more established brands in the pet industry, to getting so many kind words and positive feedback from our clients - there’s been so much goodness in this part of my life

After years of debating with myself (yes, really!), I finally launched a separate Instagram account focused on health and well-being, and have been enjoying creating content for it. It’s been a little quiet in the last few weeks, but there will be so much to share in the months to come.

I also had some exciting wins in the kitchen: I made chocolate hummus for the first time ever, which turned out absolutely delicious, and, after years of trying different versions, I finally found the perfect pesto recipe too

I finished knitting my second ever pair of socks, enjoyed wearing my first pair all throughout winter and spring, and started two more projects (a winter sweater and a summer tank top)

I discovered a couple of apps that have made a big difference for me: the Notion app, which has become my go-to tool for getting my mind and life organized, and the Overdrive app, which has helped me start rebuilding a regular reading habit.

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What’s more, this all happened during a year that included a pandemic and countless heartbreaking news, as well as plenty of challenges, changes and hardships for my own family, which is helping me to appreciate it all even more.

This exercise has helped me feel so much better about my 30th year of life, to get excited about the brand new year ahead of me, and to really enjoy celebrating this moment in time.

I hope that if you too feel stuck, unsatisfied or unsure about the last week, month, or even year of your life, you can take a moment and really look back through that period of time, to find the positives - the accomplishments, the wins, and the steps forward - because they really are there, however big or little they may be, even when things feel particularly hard, scary or uncertain. 

So tell me, what’s been the highlight of the last month for you?

Taking Stock // Summer 2018

cooking veggies from our garden - one of the best parts of summer each year, no doubt. To be able to cook and eat something we've grown with our own hands, from a tiny seed to a delicious vegetable - it just never gets old  

drinking smoothies every morning; it's become such a simple and wonderful way to start the day, and I had a lot of fun finding ways to capture snippets of it every morning for a week, and sharing them on Instagram. Now they all live in a story highlight on my profile, titled, "Smoothie ❤️"

reading Think & Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill*, and learning so much. I've heard about this book so many times before, and can't believe it's taken me until this summer to dig in

playing in the pool with Toby. We only got 2 or 3 weekends of pool time, but they were so sweet. We saw Toby get more comfortable in the water and swim at a really relaxed pace - and learned how that relaxed feeling instantly goes away as soon as someone else wants to get in the pool...

enjoying getting organized with Asana

waiting to get approved for an application my brother and I had been working on since February, for a new business we're starting together; the wait was finally over mid-August and since then, we've been going full speed ahead, getting our equipment, setting up our space, building relationships, and taking so many more little and big steps to move this new venture forward. It's something I'm really excited and optimistic about, and looking forward to sharing more details about soon

loving the sunshine and hot weather, of course! We had a really hot summer and, after last year's particularly cool one, I appreciated it even more than I usually do, despite the several heatwaves that kept us mostly inside the air-conditioned house for days

needing more hours in the day, or maybe some more helping hands... or both? Between working on the new business with my brother as well as my health coaching practice, trying to keep up with our vegetable garden (and not doing so well most of the time), and preparing for a big overseas trip my parents went on in July, our plates were full all summer long - and, to be honest, they only seem to be getting fuller this autumn too. Thankfully, they're filling up with things I absolutely love, so there is no complaining here

wearing whatever kept me cooler in the heat of the summer - most of the time, a uniform of shorts and tank tops (ha, I guess some things really do stay the same...while looking through old posts after writing the first draft of this post, I was a bit amused to notice this seems to be my hot weather uniform - it's exactly what I wrote about wearing during a hot spell last September too)

watching quite a bit of tennis. Between the Roland Garros and Wimbledon tournaments at the beginning of summer and the US Open in the beginning of September, as well as a few smaller tournaments in between, I couldn't get enough tennis! Of course, this only made me want to get back on a tennis court, racket in hand, that much more...and I'm still looking for ways to make that happen

feeling that back-to-school feeling and, even though I'm not going back to school this year, feeling almost like I am actually taking part in it somehow because, just like a new school year, working on new projects and buckling down to work feels like a similar kind of new beginning

listening to more podcasts than I have in a long while; some favourites have been The Perfectionism Project, Grow with Soul, and Money Making Maven.

dreaming of overseas trips

celebrating so much: birthdays (mine and my mom's), anniversaries (of moving to Canada, of moving in this particular house), receiving funding and taking steps forward with our businesses, and so much more; summer always feels like a new beginning to me, almost as much as January (but with more colour and daylight hours), and this year, that feeling was amplified thanks to everything that's been happening in my life and work.

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This summer has been a busy but full and exciting season and, although I'm not thrilled about the dropping temperatures, I'm feeling more hopeful about the rest of the year - and beyond - than I have in quite a while.

I'd love to know, how has your summer been? What stands out in your mind as a highlight of this (already past!) season?


*Disclaimer: The book link used in this post is an affiliate link.

Taking Stock // September 2017

September was a hard month for me. Not only did it absolutely fly by (even more than other months!), but all throughout it, I struggled to stay positive, to see the big picture, and to get things done. All the little (and big) things that are not going well in my life took up so much space in my head that there was almost none left for the good, the fun, and the happy. Of course, I know the hard is never the whole story, and I don't want to write off September 2017 as terrible, so I thought that taking stock of the simple, everyday things that did bring me joy would be a nice way to say goodbye to this month.

And so, my September days were filled with...

making placemats; I finally finished the first knit herringbone placemat I've been working on for a while now. Time to cast on the second one!

cooking hummus; I use the basic recipe from Ella's first cookbook* and add whatever flavours I or my family want to try at that time. A couple of weeks ago, I whipped up two batches: one with roasted onions and one with artichoke hearts, and just yesterday (even though, technically, it wasn't September anymore) another two: one with roasted hot peppers and one with roasted sweet peppers 

drinking mint tea; I struggled with some bloating and general stomach issues throughout August, and it wasn't until a particularly uncomfortable day in the beginning of September that I thought of having some mint tea to help my digestive system. Thankfully, I felt much better before I even finished my first cup and since then, I've been enjoying a cup of hot mint tea often in the evenings

reading little bits of different books, though I have to confess, I didn't make time to really curl up with a book all month

hoping for better days ahead

playing lots and lots of Sudoku; it's become my go-to pastime in the evenings, or anytime during the day, when my brain feels a bit fried. I try to use the Sudoku book I have so I can get a break from my computer screen, but if I'm being honest, most often I play this online version - and recently switched from the medium to the hard level, which is really challenging me 

loving my pets; the guilt that I'm not giving them enough attention is almost constant, but when I do take the time to cuddle them, I almost instantly feel so much better

needing a break and some quiet time, stat

smelling autumn in the air

wearing tank tops and shorts again during that week-long hot spell at the end of the month

watching a bunch of TV show season premieres; I've already mentioned this before, but I'm partial to sitcoms, and I've been looking forward to new episodes of The Big Bang Theory and the new Young Sheldon all summer long, and they definitely didn't disappoint. A little more surprisingly, I also enjoyed the first episode of The Good Doctor

noticing how much less patient and more irritable (i.e not myself) I am when I don't take time for myself to be quiet, to reflect and to daydream (#introvert)

knowing that this too shall pass

feeling generally down, but also a slight and slow shift upwards

bookmarking quite a few interesting, thought-provoking and perspective-shifting blog posts, many of which will be included in my next RLL post, coming soon

giggling through reruns of Mike & Molly during lunchtime every once in a while

wanting to slow things down

listening to as little as possible; I'm in this mood where it feels like there's so much noise and sound around me constantly, that whenever I can get a little quiet time, I am loving it

pondering over how I can make room for more fun and play in my life

considering new options, things I haven't tried yet, and alternatives that I know will take me outside my comfort zone

buying mostly groceries and not much else

thinking too much; spending too much time in my head and not being able to drop fully into my body and just be present in the moment

dreaming about a better future, always

celebrating 2 years since I quit my full-time job; things haven't turned out as I hoped and dreamed (yet), but I know that if I had to make that same choice again, I would - even if sometimes, on particularly hard days, I question it for a second

Thankfully, it's October now. A new day, a new week, a new month. It's the ultimate fresh start and I'm already feeling much better and more hopeful. I'm looking forward to the month ahead and feeling excited about all the possibilities - after all, there are always so many.

How about you, are you ready to say goodbye to September and hello to October?

*Disclaimer: The book link used in this post is an affiliate link.

The Time Between

So much has happened since I last updated this space, I can't quite believe it. I start every week with the best of intentions to put more time and love into this blog, yet somehow it keeps slipping through the cracks. Often, it really does feel like time flies by, even though I don't like to say it or think of it that way (mostly because I think it's up to us how much we fill our days, and whether we take time to be present). So, to help "slow down" time a little bit, I thought I'd look back for a second, and take stock of some of the things that have happened since the end of May:

I turned 28 mid-June and enjoyed a wonderful, relaxing day to celebrate. The best part of it for me was, no doubt, sweating through the warmest day of the year until then. There's just something about sunshine and hot weather that makes me really happy.

This blog turned 7 years old (!!!) which might be the most incredible thing of all. My life has changed in so many ways during this time, and I kind of love that the blog has been a constant through it all. I admit that, looking back through the archives, I kind of wish I had documented more of what took place (both with and around me), which is a big reason why I'm still trying to show up here consistently.

I started working with a marketing and mindset coach who is helping me break through some of my limiting beliefs and take steps forward in my business. As a coach myself, I can't believe it took me this long to recognize how valuable a (great) coach would be for my business. Thankfully, once I did realize it, I stumbled on the opportunity to work with my current coach within a few days.

I met one of my online friends in real life, which was easily one of the highlights of this summer for me.

I struggled with navigating tough times and keeping a positive mindset through it all, but eventually found several ways to focus on the good most of the time and not let the bad affect me as much. This doesn't mean that every day is sunshine and rainbows now, or that I no longer have bad days. It simply means that I've been consciously working every single day on myself to cultivate a positive mindset, with good results. 

I explored a few parks from our part of the world and really enjoyed hiking the trails with my family, including our pup Toby.

I've stayed inside, busy at my computer, for too many days, and forgot or neglected to take time to enjoy the sunshine. The good news is, there's still a bit of summer left, and a few more weeks to appreciate this favourite season of mine.

Tell me, what has your summer been like so far? What are you still looking forward to this season?

Life Currently // May 2017

It's been a while since I last shared regularly on this blog, but lately I've been thinking more and more about it, and itching to make it a bigger part of my life again. I do have some ideas for posts, but it seems that I've gotten so out of the habit of actually sharing those ideas that, every time I open a new blank post to start writing, my mind goes blank too. So, I thought I'd start simply for now, with a little snapshot of what life looks like these days:


cherishing all the short periods of sunshine in between the clouds and pouring rain

smiling every time I take a peek at the daffodils and hyacinths in our front yard (so happy that it's finally that time of the year again!)

getting back to daily morning walks around the neighbourhood with the pup

trying hard to get into the habit of working out regularly

working on two knitting projects at once: a pink scarf that keeps my hands busy on evenings when my mind is tired after a long day, and a set of placemats that is the perfect excuse to learn a new stitch

staying organized with the Bullet Journal system, and feeling thankful to have found a way to wrangle all the thoughts that are constantly swimming through my mind

making progress on the content I am planning and creating behind-the-scenes for my health coaching website, and looking forward to sharing it with everyone who is ready to start being proactive and taking charge of their health and wellness

feeling excited about new work projects, especially a potential new collaboration with a fellow coach I've really been enjoying connecting with over the last few months

watching loads of Instagram Stories and losing track of time a little too often

dreaming of seeing more of this world, in no small part thanks to all that time spent watching Instagram stories


Well, that about covers most of the things that I'm spending time on and thinking of right now. I'd love to know, what's going on in your life these days?

A Season Like No Other

Today is the first day back to my regular routine after the holidays - and what a wonderful break it's been, spent quietly at home with my family. It was all about filling the hours with lots of eating, laughing, movie watching, and couch surfing, without having to rush or stick to any sort of schedule.

There was something different about this holiday season for me. Usually, I would have this inner pressure sitting heavy on my heart, telling me that I haven't done enough, that I've let another year slip by without moving towards my big dreams, and that I have to get really clear on my next steps right away so I can hit the ground running once that calendar on the wall changes, and never let it happen again. This year, however, I didn't feel any of that. Instead, I felt so at peace, and I was so much more immersed into the celebrations, quiet and simple as they may have been.

To be honest, these holidays haven't been picture perfect: a bunch of the dishes that we had been looking forward to making for our celebrations didn't happen, the holidays cards didn't get mailed until three days before Christmas, my desk, which hasn't seen an inch of clear space in months, actually became even more cluttered and, as a literal last bump in the road, we spent a chunk of the last (freezing) morning of the year assessing damage and filling insurance paperwork after a minor car accident; and yet somehow I was able to thoroughly enjoy this break, more than I have in a very long time.

I realized that it wasn't the season itself that was different from the ones of past years, but that the difference was inside of me. I really believe that, through all the work I've had to do on myself, 2016 really changed me and taught me so many precious lessons. It made me stronger, and it showed me what - and who - matters most. Ultimately, it painted the picture of how I want to live my life clearer than I've ever seen it, and I can't help but think how sweet it is to recognize, looking back, that the hardships and struggles of these last 12 months were all for good reason.

Even more, this inner change also allowed me to see December 31st and January 1st for what they actually are, two regular days coming one after the other, no different than the 363/4 other ones in the year in anything besides their potential to offer us a beautiful blank slate to use however we like to slowly create our own masterpiece day after day.

I hope that, whether 2016 was a great or difficult year for you, that you were able to enjoy a holiday season filled with love, laughter, and relaxation, and that you're looking forward to this 2017 that thankfully comes, like all years do, one day at a time.

Life Currently // March 2016

The last few days and weeks have been filled with a lot of...


watching the men's tennis matches from the Miami Open

wishing I was on a tennis court with a racquet in hand

launching the website for my new health coaching practice (!!!)

finishing up a knit blouse I've been working on and off for almost 3 years now

thoroughly enjoying the arrival of spring (snow melting, geese returning, flower buds popping out of the ground)

listening to new favourite podcasts from the first episode - 100 Not Out specifically, which is so good!!

reading this life-changing book

getting back into the swing of things on Twitter

starting new seedlings for this year's garden (or actually, I should say, gardens)

trying out new recipes (like this vegan lasagna and this buckwheat banana bread) that were a raving success with everyone in my family


What has been going on in your life?

Birthday Thoughts

Earlier this week, it dawned on me that maybe I should put together a special post for today to celebrate my birthday, just like I've done every year so far***. In the very next moment, I realized that if there's anything I want for my birthday this year, it's to have a completely fuss-free, good-for-the-soul day. That means no preparation and no big productions; no brainstorming ahead of time, no photoshoots, and no careful crafting of words for a few days in advance to have them ready to publish just as the clock strikes....morning.

If I was going to write anything here today, it would have to be a spur-of-the-moment, straight-from-the-heart type of post - some birthdays thoughts, if you will.

So today I turn 26. I've struggled a bit with this number over the last few weeks. At first thought, it sounds so mature (I'm now officially closer to 30 than 20, how is that even possible?!) and I'm not sure I'm quite there yet. But the more I've thought about it (and reminded myself of this truth), the more I've accepted it and actually embraced it. So right now, I'm quite happy and excited to be celebrating this new year. As the birthday girl, this is what I've been wishing for today:

I want a day with no schedules, no deadlines and no rushing.

I want to be surrounded by love, laughter and lightness and maybe greeted by a few heartfelt "Happy Birthday!" wishes.

I want plenty of kitty cuddles and puppy kisses.

Most of all, I want some quiet time all to myself, to rest and recharge for a new year of adventures.

Maybe this doesn't sound like the perfect birthday celebration in a perfect world, but to me, it sounds like the best way to spend today and celebrate entering a new year of life in light of what my life is actually like right now (busy, chaotic and rushed most days).

And now that it's already the evening, I can report that all these things have been happening throughout the day, and I'm a very happy girl, especially thanks to the puppy kisses and the kitty cuddles.

26, I've got big plans for you. Let's get going!

***More birthday thoughts from 2011, 2013 and 2014.

Currently

Last week I talked at length about what my life has looked like over the last few months and about everything that has been on my mind, so I thought now would be a good time to focus on the present and look at what is going on right now.

These are a few of the things filling my days lately:

enjoying the evening sunlight until long after I get home from work (read: for another hour or so)

finally seeing bigger and bigger patches of ground as the snow is melting (read: happy dance!)

wearing slightly fewer and slightly thinner layers to go outside

jumping for joy about this short workweek followed by a full week off from my 9-to-5 job

taking short walks in the sunshine every day at lunchtime

listing new items in the yarn shop: thinner yarns perfect for spring and summer in all sorts of pretty neutrals

joining this year's session of B-School and loving it

Skyping every week with some wonderful ladies who are keeping me accountable and helping me move through any challenges that come up

using every free moment (ha!) to write and write some more so I can get myself out of this terrible block I've been in

eating chia pudding almost every day and craving it on all the other days

chasing a particularly playful kitty around the house

I'd love to know, what's going on in your world? Let me know in the comments!


PS: This post was inspired by similar ones I've seen - and loved! - on Elise's blog

A Day In The Life: Nine to Five

In the last couple of years, ever since I started working full-time, I've struggled with updating this space consistently, and given myself a hard time about it. The truth is that my schedule during this time has been truly packed and I haven't done a great job with the work-life balance, let alone the work-blog balance. At this point though, I'm determined to improve my day-to-day and I've been working on implementing small changes that I hope will help bring about big shifts in the not-too-distant future.

Before then however, I want to take note of what life looks like now so that I can remind myself of what it has been like for quite a few months of my life and appreciate the progress I'll have made once things are different. So, here is a peek into a typical work day for me:

5:00-5:20 It's time to wake up and start getting ready to leave for work. I have only about an hour to do everything from washing up, getting dressed, eating breakfast, and making sure that Toby & Mikka have everything they need (water, food, bathroom time) before leaving them for the rest of the day.

6:20-6:30 Ideally, by this time I leave for work; the first hour of the trip I spend in the car, going from our home in the suburbs to the nearest subway station in the city; if I'm not too sleepy, I try to do something productive, like knitting or reading. I carpool with my brother for this part, and he drops me off at the subway station, from where it's another 30 minute ride to work.

8:00 If traffic on the highways is not terrible and the subway has no delays, I generally arrive at work at this time and find a place to spend the next hour, before work starts. I usually spend it reading blogs, browsing Instagram and Twitter, or listening to some IIN lectures.

9:00 I go into the office and start working.

11:30 or 1:00 Lunch breaks are on a rotating schedule every few weeks, so it depends on the given week whether I have an earlier or later break. Since I'm on campus at a university, I try to find a quiet spot (which is not an easy feat, especially at lunch time) where I can listen to more IIN lectures while I eat, then read a few more blogs or a book; on some days, once I'm done eating, I'll either go for a walk (when it's warmer outside), browse through a few books at a bookstore or look through the racks at a clothing store before going back to the office.

1 or 2:30 It's time to get back to work.

5:00 I finish work and meet up again with my brother for our car ride home. As much as I try to occupy my commuting time somehow like I do in the morning, I usually just end up falling asleep midway through. The fact that all winter it's already dark out by this time doesn't make it easy for me to stay awake either.

6:30 Once I'm back home, I spend a little time catching up with my family, taking a shower and, of course, cuddling and playing with my two munchkins - Toby and Mikka - who are always so happy we're back home. I'm certain that there's few things that make for a better welcome home than a wagging puppy tail. 

7:00 It's dinner time, and if we're lucky, we can squeeze in a family dinner before everyone has to go about their own business getting ready for the next day.

7:30 Once dinner is finished, I turn on my computer and spend some time checking emails, checking up on the store and looking over social media again.

8:00 I help with preparing lunches for the next day, which generally means making sandwiches. I've tried bringing proper meals with me but since I'm not always in the same spot, I've found that it's easier to just bring sandwiches.

8:30 I spend the rest of the night looking after Toby and Mikka and watching TV, though I don't always get to see more than a few glimpses when I have to deal with a squirmy puppy that wants attention. I try to do some work on the computer or clean up around the house sometimes, but again, not much happens at this time of day.

10:00-10:30 As much as I'd like it to be earlier, so far I haven't managed to start getting ready for bed before this hour on more than a few occasions. Since I'm almost completely wiped out by this point, my bedtime rituals are as quick and simple as possible and don't go much farther than changing into my pyjamas, brushing my teeth and taking a few minutes to wind down from the day.

10:20-11 It's time to let my head hit the pillow and get some rest before another early morning. 

Winter Break

We've been back at work for a full week already, but my mind is still on the two weeks of vacation that we had before because, to be honest, those two weeks were a dream. After a year spent living at a crazy pace, the winter break was a much-needed and so-very-welcome slow down from it all.

It was full of....
puppy cuddles; family time; movie watching; kitty cuddles; being home; cooking yummy things and eating yummy things; late wake-up calls (or no calls at all really) and late bedtimes; more being and less doing; belly laughs; puppy play time; blog reading and social media reviewing; online shop building (!!!); simply enjoying.

and sprinkled with little bits of...
blog writing; house cleaning; holiday decorating; puppy walks in the snow; kitty play time; 2015 planning and dreaming.

and lots of other things that just don't come to mind right now, but that I know were equally enjoyable and relaxing. These two weeks fully convinced me that all vacations from now on must include at least a few days of the same.

Thoughts on 25

This month was the official halfway mark of my 25th year of life. Just like the last few years, these six months have been filled with an unbelievable mix of emotions and happenings, both good and not-so-good.

I wrote a version of the words below a few months ago, and I've been having similar thoughts in the last few days and weeks, so I thought it would be good to repeat them here - to myself, first and foremost, but also to anyone else who might want or need to hear them.

"The other night I was feeling a little down. It was a mix of being tired and dissatisfied with how things are now; it was nothing too serious then but something that often can (and has many times in the past) go into a downward spiral all the way to thoughts like  "I'm not good enough" (or simply not enough) or "I've failed at (insert goal)". I've been reading and learning enough in the past few years to know that these thoughts are not based in reality, because in fact each one of us, as we are in this moment, is (good) enough.  This is a great point to remind myself of in moments like this, but I've found that it doesn't always work. That particular night, I actually got to the point in my downward spiral where I thought to myself, "This isn't the life of a 25-year-old".

Thankfully, in the very next moment came my saving grace that night, and for many nights after. As soon as my mind finished thinking "This isn't the life of a 25-year-old", another thought popped in, and I was asking myself: "But what IS the life of a 25-year-old?". This might have been the quickest turnover I've ever had from a bad mood to a much better one, because the answer is so obvious: there isn't a single answer to this question; there are 25-year-olds who have travelled far and wide to all four corners of the world and others who have never stepped foot out of their small town.At the same time, there are 25-year-old mothers with two, three or even more children and 25-year-old women who have never even held a newborn; girls (and guys) who have never worked a day in their 25-year-long life, and ones who got a job the first chance they had; and finally, 25-year-olds who still live at home but also ones who have been on their own for nearly a decade.

Life is different for each one of us, and as much as society is trying to give us lists of things we should have done by a certain age, it just doesn't work that way. Life is much more complicated and unexpected than that. I've struggled with thoughts of this kind for a long time, but I think that now, at 25, I am just starting to grasp what the saying "Age is just a number" really means."

Right Now

These days, and these past couple of weeks especially, I've been doing a lot of the following:

experimenting with pumpkin recipes for the very first time; crustless pumpkin pie and pumpkin cashew cream to be more specific, both of which were spectacular successes;

knitting my very first raglan sweater - a cardigan! - on my commute to and from work as often as I can (read: whenever I can stay awake) and getting so excited to see it come together (and planning on writing a bit more about the process soon over on Ravelry);

figuring out my target market for the health coaching practice I am (very slowly) building as a result of my IIN training; if I'm completely honest, I might be a bit overly excited about this;

cuddling my sweet munchkins, Toby and Mikka, every chance I get;

dreaming of, planning and little by little building a thrilling vision of an entrepreneurial future;

wishing for more time to myself so I can work on all those passion projects that are brewing in my mind.


Disclaimer: the IIN link used in this post is part of the Ambassador program, which means I get some compensation if a sign-up results from it.

IIN: The Halfway Point

Not long ago I passed the halfway mark of my IIN experience. I decided it was time to write about it all, but I've been sitting here trying to come up with the right words and I'm not sure that I could sum it all up in just a few of them.

20 weeks is a long time: it's 20 modules of learning material, hundreds of hours of audio, video and written content, so many new (to me) and important faces and voices to remember from the health community and just as many opinions about the right way of eating.

With almost every speaker that I listen to, he or she becomes my new favourite and I want to remember every detail of what they said. I feel my mind expanding every week and with every speech, and I get so much pride in knowing that I am a (minuscule) part of this inspiring worldwide community.

As wonderful as it has been, I can't say that it's been an easy experience - after all, Mr. Rosenthal, the founder of the school, advises us to treat it like medical school! My beliefs and points of view on nutrition have been challenged on more than a few occasions. At times, I even felt the need to take a break so I can wrap my head around what I had just learned and figure out how it fits into my own views on nutrition. In those moments, I'm reminded of one of the main principles of this school, the principle of bio-individuality, which says that one person's medicine can be another person's poison, which I know for myself to be true, and that is how I gain perspective once again.

But this school has been about so much more than nutrition, and it's been that part of it that I think has been and will continue to be the biggest learning point for me. My shy and introverted self has been encouraged and nudged to connect with peers, to learn how to communicate in meaningful ways with future clients and with people in general (which, surprisingly enough, has more to do with proper listening than actual talking) as well as how (and why!) not to push my own views and preferences on them. Thankfully, many of these things are included in the graduation requirements. I say thankfully because if they weren't required, I would have likely found a way to skip them. I know that this is the part of the school that is challenging me the most and that I have to work on the most, but I also know that it is what will help me grow the most - personally, professionally and any other way possible.

I'm looking forward to whatever the second half of this program will bring.

Birth Day

Today has been a lovely start to a new year of my life. A slow morning and a day off at home spent with my two fur babies are mostly to thank for it.

There are many words in my head and feelings in my heart about this day, and these days in general, but right now, there's not enough time to sit down and collect them all on paper. Maybe someday. Hopefully someday soon.

Breathing & Reflecting

Image via Death to the Stock Photo

I really like the monthly "... : currently" series that Elise writes on her blog and I've seen similar ones pop up on several other blogs too, so I wanted to try it out for myself. I titled my version 'breahing & reflecting' because in order to write it I literally had to stop, take a deep breath and reflect on my life at the moment. This is something that both my body and my mind are in dire need of right now - and something that I don't do nearly enough - and, I think, it is also the reason why I like this type of post so much.

Here it goes. These days I am...


feeling frustrated with the hectic schedule of my days

anticipating lots of spring flowers in our front yard (just like last year and the year before). Their green leaves are already a good few inches tall.

enjoying Pinterest a lot and spending considerable amounts of time on there

rediscovering one of my long-time favourite blogs, Jen Loves Kev; it's the kind of rediscovery that makes me fall in love with this crazy awesome world of blogging all over again

catching up on my IIN lessons and getting ready for the first test

noticing that it is almost light out at 5:30am when I wake up (don't even get me started! - see first point)

trying hard to put more time and energy into this space; I miss it so

commuting by subway again and not minding it at all

seeing gaggles (yup, I've looked it up and this is exactly what they're called :) I love it! ) of geese returning home

A Student Again

This week is the fifth one in a new adventure for me. At the beginning of the year, an idea sparked inside my mind, and by mid-January I was ready to act on it by enrolling back into school, so right now I am completing my fifth week of being a student again. After what was the longest break from school that I've had since I started first grade all those years ago, it feels good to be back at it. For those 13 months of not being a student, life felt really odd. Sure, part of it was adjusting to a new life as an adult and a working girl, but on some level I knew that I wasn't done with school yet. I don't know if I will ever feel like I am completely done with school, because being a student has been such a big part of my identity. But right now, I'm not thinking that far ahead, I'm just happy to fully delve into the subject of my course. Especially since this time, for the first time in a very long time, I'm studying something that I'm so very passionate about.

To end an unnecessarily long introduction, for five weeks now, I've been a student at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. At its core, it is indeed a nutrition school, but in effect it is so much more than that, because the word "nutrition" refers to more than just the food we eat; it includes other important things that feed us in different ways, things like social life, spirituality and career pursuits, and most impressively, it deals with all of them in a neutral way, so that the students can choose their own path. Like it was pointed out in one of the lectures I was just listening to today, they don't teach us what to think, they teach us how to think.

I've known about IIN for maybe 2 or 3 years now, and never really had an interest in becoming a health coach. Sure I've been really enthusiastic about eating and living healthy for a while, but I figured that my introversion, shyness and youth means that health coaching might not be a wise career choice for me. After this last year of work experience though, I've realized that there are many things about this career that I would enjoy, and along the way I could learn to work through all my weaknesses too. Something inside of me told me that I just had to enroll this year. So I did - and I'm really happy about it. During these past five weeks, I've absorbed so much information. I'm learning and growing every day, and I can't wait to see what the next 11 months will bring and how this one choice will shape my future, but I'd love to share my journey in this space as well.

Here's to new beginnings and a bright future ahead! I'm so looking forward to all of it.

Thankful January

Last year was a really tough one, with many challenges and heartbreaks along the way. It managed to get the best of me and put me in a negative frame of mind most of the time. While I know that I couldn't have done anything to change what happened throughout the year, I sometimes wish that I would have done something to change the way I reacted to what happened, that I could have seen more of the positives even when the negatives seemed to outweigh them.

But that is the past now, and this year is a new beginning in which I want to focus on the positive as much as possible. So, to serve as a constant reminder of my intention, I had an idea of doing a year-long project in which I would express my thankfulness for something in my life for every day of 2014. I don't usually do this kind of projects because I'm generally not very good at following through until the end, but so far I'm really enjoying it - while at the same time not putting any pressure on myself to be completely perfect. 

I made it into a Twitter/Instagram project, and I've been using the hashtags #thankful2014 and #yearofthankfulness to keep track, and it has been very interesting so far - most days a lot of fun, some days a bit of a struggle, but so far a learning experience about myself, thankfulness, and long-term projects like this. 

These are the things I was thankful for in January:

• a sunny start to the year
• our weekly organic produce box, especially now in the middle of winter
• the simple things, like a yummy home-cooked meal
• a quiet evening curled up on the recliner with my newest knitting project on the needles
• one last day of blissful rest & relaxation before work started again
• our cozy sofa, especially when compared to my desk chair at work
• my pillow where I can rest my head and recharge after an exhausting day
• the wonderful people and things that blogging has shown me over the years
• beautiful music getting stuck in my head and lifting my spirits
• the weekend after a long week back at work
• family movie night
• a patch of blue sky and sunshine among all the darkness
• the milder weather that allowed me to wear a skirt for the first time in a very long time
• potential new opportunities on the horizon
• a break in the routine and a glimpse at what used to be and what might be again soon
• a walk on an almost spring-like day, mild and sunny day, that made my heart happy again
• an easy and calm end to the week
• my acupuncture sessions
• a relaxing day that involved sleeping in and lots of time spent on the couch
• having great things to dream about, work towards and look forward to
• school and education in general
• the warmth and comfort of home, after being out in the -20 some degree weather
• finding a way to get organized that seems to work well for me
• my mittens, like never before
• weekend days with late mornings, late nights, and no agenda in between
• technology
• books and their infinite wisdom and wonder
• quiet moments of daydreaming
• a cozy bed
• a productive evening in which I checked off almost all of my to-do's
• the whole month; it was a pretty good one.

Fresh New Beginning

After what felt, and I'm quite sure was, the most difficult year of my life so far, it felt wonderful to have a couple of weeks off from work to relax and decompress, to spend time with my family and my two sweethearts, Toby & Mikka, and to actually enjoy the moment.



It was a quiet holiday season at home, and it was exactly what I needed to let 2013 go and welcome 2014. It is my deepest wish for this new year to be truly wonderful, kind, and light-hearted.

Happy 2014!

This is my favourite picture of this time for obvious reasons, and despite what her expression might indicate, she actually enjoyed being there for a good couple minutes!

This July

Granted, it is now early September, but July already feels so far away. Summer itself feels so far away, even though it's just now winding down. These days, life consists of early wake-up calls, long commutes and draining work days, balanced by much-too-short weekends mostly spent recovering, so the days  - and months - are kind of jumbled together in my memory. But what I do remember about July is that, despite feeling tired almost the entire time, it was a good month, in which I was able to delight in some of my favourite things:

Hot, sticky summer days. It took a long time to arrive and it didn't stick around for too long either, but in July we did enjoy - well, I did, though I can't speak for the rest of my family and others - a few days of hot, hot weather. The kind of hot that requires at least one fan to be on at all times in every room. To me, it just isn't summer without it.

Pool play. We were very late with uncovering and cleaning our pool this year but, by the beginning of the month, it was ready to go. So, throughout the month, we enjoyed a few blissful weekend days in but mostly by the pool, since the cool weather didn't allow for more than a couple of dips.

Weekend trips. Since we moved into our house two summers ago, the number of trips we've taken has been almost non-existent. So, in July, we made it a point to get out more and enjoy the summer days. We managed to squeeze in a family hike up the mountain with Toby, a quick long weekend trip to Niagara and Toronto for me and my brother and a nice afternoon jaunt to a nearby resort town. It's not a lot, but it felt good to get out of the familiar places where we spend all our weekdays and experience something new or different.

If you'd like, you can read my other monthly recap posts too: January, February, March, April, May and June!